Search - Kunzel, Maureen McGovern, Cincinnati Pops :: Amen: Gospel Celebration

Disappointment

Pops Fan | Mesa, AZ. | 05/29/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"We recently purchased this disk with high anticipation, as we have always considered all Kunzel/Telarc disks to be excellent. We also love gospel music, and the tracks listed are some of our favorites. Having said that, we were very disappointed with the mixing on this disk. The orchestra is too 'pushed back' and the vocals are too 'up front'. The end result is neither realistic, nor enjoyable in our estimation. We were very disappointed with the quality overall."

An Entertaining, Although Unbalanced, Offering!

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 09/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a fan of the Cincinnati Pops under the direction of Erich Kunzel, I purchased this with great anticipation. As a fan of gospel music, traditional and contemporary, I knew that the blending of orchestra, chorus, and soloists with the time-honored form would be a worthy of a listen. This would indeed be a golden opportunity for my auditory senses.Well, as they say, everything that glitters.The concert hall trappings of the recording are one its pluses. Each family of instruments, as well as the varying voices of the respective choirs, resounds in pitch-perfect clarity. The individual soloists unique vocal style is illuminated to its fullest.Maureen McGovern is heavenly in her lead in "From a Distance". Jennifer Holiday, she of the belting "pipes" does justice with the Bill Withers classic "Lean on Me". Lou Rawls, after doing a horrible version of Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" bounces back in the end with the crowd-pleasing title track.And by featuring "Amazing Grace", one of the best songs ever written, the disc deserves a high five (stars, that is).However, it is the "contrast" between the choirs that makes for the imbalance. Without the liner notes, it is obvious that one group has "learned" the notes while another group "feels" the music of which it produces. The former is too stilted in its execution while the latter is a wee-bit too theatrical. I suppose that was in intention of Kunzel and company to present such diversity. Perhaps, for some, this works.It just doesn't do it for me and the recording must lose a star."